Manchester City Vs Chelsea Match Preview: Where and When To Watch Online

While City manager Roberto Mancini has refused to concede the fight for the title, a 15-point stretch could, unfortunately for City fans, be too much of a gap for City to handle, while the Blues aim to remain in the top four with Tottenham Hotspur breathing down their necks.

Their victory in the FA Cup last weekend against Leeds was compared by Mancini to a "brodino", a "starter soup" common in Italian cuisine; it might not be enough to haul in Sir Alex Ferguson's men.

Onto Chelsea. Chelsea, will be attempting a first back-to-back win in the league since late December. The reigning European champions have fared well on the travels recording four wins from their last six played, however their last two matches have yielded a defeat in Newcastle and a crazy draw at Reading, where they were cruising to a 2-0 victory before late heroics from Adam Le Fondre. A win for Rafael Benitez's men will reduce the gap to City to a lonesome point.

Team News

Manchester City

Roberto Mancini is likely to make several changes from the rotated side that beat Leeds 4-0 in the FA Cup as regulars Joe HArt, Gael Clichy, and Edin Dzeko are all likely to replace Costil Pantilimon, Aleksander Kolarov, and Carlos Tevez.

The home side could also receive a much-needed boost with captain Vincent Kompany currently striving to return from a calf injury in time for the game. If he passes a late fitness test, he should return in place of Kolo Toure.

Rafa Benitez is also set to make a variety of changes from the side that drew against Sparta Prague in the Europa League on Thursday, as Frank Lampard, Branislav Ivanovic and Ashley Cole, all rested in that game, should return at the expense of John Obi Mikel, John Terry and Ryan Bertrand.

Eden Hazard, following his late tie-winning contribution in Thursday's game, should also come back into the starting line-up, with Oscar likely to be the man that drops to the bench.

Demba Ba should also, once again, come in for Fernando Torres to lead the line after missing out on the Europa League tie, having already featured in the competition for Newcastle.